The Return Of White Reaper
Tony Esposito Discusses The Long Road To Their New Album
The online power pop community briefly lost its mind over White Reaper in 2019.
The sudden uptick in awareness was linked to the incredibly catchy lead single “Might Be Right” from the band’s third album, You Deserve Love (Elektra). The power poppers weren’t alone in falling for the song which charted in the U.S. and Canada, propelling the Kentucky-based alt rock band into the international spotlight.
Six years later, the track has over 19 million streams on Spotify and the video on the band’s official YouTube page has been viewed 3.7 million times. They toured with Weezer, played Riot Fest, and performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! It was one of the few times in recent memory when the “pop” in “power pop” actually meant “popular.”
Not bad for an afterthought.
“When I was writing and demoing ‘Might Be Right,’ I was like, ‘We need some filler on this record because I only have four or five good songs,’” White Reaper vocalist/guitarist Tony Esposito told me in a phone interview last week. That recording features the band’s classic line up: Esposito, Ryan Hater (keyboards), Hunter Thompson (guitar), Sam Wilkerson (bass), and Nick Wilkerson (drums).
“I literally just threw that one together, not really thinking about it a lot. And then, you know, the label really loved it.”
The label was right. I was among the fans who found White Reaper thanks to “Might Be Right.” Given my stance that power pop is best appreciated on a song by song basis, I expected their breakout single to be an anomaly—but was happy to find a solid, if sonically diverse album with other standouts like “Headwind,” “Real Long Time,” and the title track.
Any music lover will tell you that discovering a new-to-you band is a special thrill because there is a whole catalog to explore—so, I dove deep on White Reaper.
I initially experienced a little whiplash getting my head around the band’s evolution and many stylistic excursions—including three early garage punk EPs—but the strong songwriting, Thin Lizzy-style guitars, and solid rhythm section were pretty consistent. It took a beat, but I eventually stopped thinking of White Reaper as “the ‘Might Be Right’ band” and started accepting them on their own musical terms.
Their debut album, White Reaper Does It Again (Polyvinyl, 2015), is a Strokes-y garage/post punk debut with “Make Me Wanna Die,” “Pills,” “Sheila” and “BTK” among many highlights. That was followed by their solid sophomore album, The World’s Best American Band (Polyvinyl, 2015), featuring the Cheap Trick-reverent title track, Van Halen-esque guitar pop of “Judy French,” and gutter glam of “Another Day.”
Listening to the first two albums, it’s easy to see why Elektra Records snatched them up. The musical progression to their major label debut is a big leap, but one that many garage and punk bands made before them. It allowed White Reaper to focus on the consistent melodic core of their songs to deliver a more polished pop album.
Tastes may vary, but for me the big curveball is 2023’s Asking For A Ride.
Following their commercial success, White Reaper released an album that launches with the hardcore tempo of “Asking For A Ride” and heavy metal guitar pyrotechnics on “Fog Machine.” The poppy punk of “Pink Slip” changes things up followed by subdued pop tracks like “Heaven or Not” and “Crawlspace” before closing with the power pop parting shot “Pages” (another charting single).
I saw them on this tour and sheepishly admit I was the “play the hits” guy that night. They did “Might Be Right” and “Pages” (with an appropriately snarky ‘90s-style ‘sell out’ intro from Hater), but the eclectic set shined a light on the garage punks they were, the pop stars they became, and the metal revivalists they aspired to be.
“I think it has everything to do with just evolving as a musician. All that time spent on the road and having this as a job,” Esposito said of his songwriting approach on Asking For A Ride. “Spending so much time with the guitar really accelerated my ability. Trying to keep myself entertained, I wanted to try things that were more difficult.”
For the follow up to AFAR, Esposito and the band decided to take a back-to-basics approach.
The modest aim was to prioritize good melodies and strong lyrics over tricky guitar riffs, which any seasoned band will tell you is easier said than done.
“We wanted to go back to our earlier days and sort of simplify the songs. To try and kind of go back to where we were in our younger days as maybe more boneheaded players,” Esposito added. “I think, to a degree, it sort of worked.”
I think he’s absolutely right.
Only Slightly Empty is a taut collection of hard-hitting alternative pop songs that deftly combines the band’s many strengths with years of hard won experience.
The end result was well worth the wait, but the road to getting there proved to be more treacherous than expected. Along the way they got dropped by Elektra Records, eventually signing with Blue Grape Music, and lost their longtime rhythm section.
“I think life had kind of pulled all of us in different directions. People just grow apart over time. It's definitely an odd feeling—and I love and miss those guys—but I do think everybody made the decision that was right for them,” Esposito said of the Wilkerson twins’ departure.
Esposito, Hater, and Thompson soldiered on, eventually introducing their new album with the video for “Honestly.” The track opens with a hooky guitar line that hints at power pop prowess before the band blasts in with unbridled ‘90s alt rock energy that lands somewhere between edgier Third Eye Blind and poppier Foo Fighters (with elements of Miltarie Gun and Dazy thrown into my bottomless reference blender).
Esposito’s forceful vocals and Hater’s erratic synth work shine, but it’s the authoritative Dave Grohl-esque drumming that really make this a stand out track (played by Nick Wilkerson as “a parting gift,” according to Esposito.)
The second single, “Blink,” is a perfect counterpart to the relentless sonic onslaught of “Honestly.”
I kept “Blink” on repeat for a few hours while preparing for my conversation with Esposito and with every listen I became more drawn to the lyrics that resolve the tension: “The truth was bad, but the lie was worse.”
“With White Reaper songs, there are two reservoirs that the lyrical content comes from—one of them being my personal history, and the other one being little fictional stories that I come up with. ‘Blink’ was certainly a very personal song,” Esposito said.
“It's just kind of about how everyone has days—maybe they're incredibly hungover or just super emotional for whatever reason—and kind of replaying embarrassing memories in their mind. Things that you would maybe change given the chance. That’s kind of what I was trying to capture in that song.”
Given the way I originally discovered White Reaper, I couldn’t resist asking Esposito about power pop.
He started by enquiring if Remember The Lightning was named after the 20/20 song (his girlfriend turned him onto their music and they listen obsessively). I took that as a good sign, pressing him about some of his other favorite power pop artists.
“Dwight Twilley and Big Star. To me, that’s power pop. …That’s the kind of stuff that I'm listening to on a daily basis, and the kind of stuff that checks all my boxes,” Esposito said.
When I asked if he was aware that some fans consider his band power pop, he seemed genuinely honored—but was quick to point out that White Reaper is less of a power pop band, and more of a band that might have some power pop songs.
“People have always compared us to Cheap Trick. I would say they’re power pop. And I guess I think of our band that way, but I think classifying things by genre maybe makes more sense on a song by song case, especially for a band like ours.”
Amen.
So, what exactly is a band like White Reaper?
I’m tempted to call Only Slightly Empty a return to form, even though it features plenty of the musical exploration and genre-hopping that I’ve come to expect and appreciate. But I also think this album is another leap forward.
White Reaper might not be easy to pin down with labels, but the music speaks for itself. If you’re seeking power pop in their catalog, head straight for “Might Be Right” or “Pages.” I promise that will be your gateway into a world of great alternative rock music by a band that isn’t afraid to take chances.
And that’s what rock music is supposed to be all about. Right?
So glad you are giving them the attention they deserve. As you know I saw them on that tour as well and it was...not what I had been hoping for. I discovered them through Judy French and thought You Deserve Love was perfect. If I was in charge (and, honestly, shouldn't I be?) Asking for a Ride would've opened with Side Two. I think it comes across as a rejection of all the poppiness of the previous record. I haven't listened to any of the new one because I preordered it and I want to experience it. But, that said, I have played AFAR maybe twice. While I appreciate their devotion to following their own muses, I also feel that sometimes they come across as directionless. Hopefully they find their footing and amaze me once more.
Great piece on them and looking forward to hearing their new album. White Reaper are an amazing band, and like you wrote, their sound has shifted around while always being their own thing. I was a little late to the party and only discovered them after using Shazam on a damn McDonald's commercial, but after that - I was in. I think they're an underrated, brilliant band. Thanks for spotlighting them!